Recognition for community volunteer Meg

The Entrance parkrun organiser Megan (Meg) Pye was one of three people presented with a NSW Government Community Service Award at the Premier’s Volunteer Reception on Thursday, May 22.

Nominated for the award by Member for The Entrance David Mehan, Pye is a dedicated volunteer in The Entrance community and is Event Director for the local parkrun, solely responsible for all aspects of the weekly management of the event.

She also volunteers at her local church, providing support to children and families by putting together essential hampers when she knows there is a family who needs it.

Pye said she was passionate about seeing growth within the parkrun and church communities and was honoured and humbled to receive the award.

“I joined The Entrance parkrun eight years ago, about a year after it was first established,” she said.

“I just happened to walk by the group one day and they all seemed so friendly.

“Although I am not a runner I thought I’d give it a try and found a warm, welcoming community where I seemed to fit in.

“I fell in love with parkrun and started volunteering to help pretty quickly.

“Then, about a year after I joined, some of the organisers were looking to take a less active role and I stepped up.”

As Event Director, Pye co-ordinates 13-14 volunteer helpers each week, keeps registrations active, takes care of insurances and permissions for use of the run path and liaises with parkrun head office.

“I keep my first aid certificate up to date, even though it is not mandatory, because I think it’s important to have at least one person fully trained in first aid on each run,” she said.

“I also keep the community engaged by handling our social media and check in regularly on runners who miss a run.

“I look in on them if they are sick – even visit them in hospital.”

The role sees Pye, who also has a full-time job with a medical device company in Sydney, spend a couple of hours each night on parkrun business.

In the past year, her husband has started to join the runs.

“Our numbers vary,” she said.

“In Summer, we could have 400 runners – in Winter it is more like 200.

“But we are there at 6am every Saturday to do our 5km run.”

Not everyone has to run the course.

“I myself walk- and I do it in under an hour,” Pye said.

“There is no time limit – people can take as long as they like to complete the course.”

Pye has been a member of the C3 Church at Tuggerah for about 14 years and has spent the past five running the children’s ministry.

“This has stepped my involvement up to a whole new level,” she said.

Pye said her community activities didn’t leave her with much spare time, but she would never give them up.

“It’s a way to stay connected and to meet people you wouldn’t normally meet,” she said.

“Making those social connections is huge.

“During COVID lockdowns we were arranging things to do from home that made us still feel connected.”

Mehan said Pye was “a shining example of what community spirit looks like”.

“She gives so much of herself to others, without ever asking for recognition,” he said.

“This award is a well-deserved acknowledgment of her incredible service.”

The reception was held at the Art Gallery of NSW, in recognition of National Volunteer Week, hosted by Minister for Volunteering Jodie Harrison on behalf of Premier Chris Minns, who was visiting flood-affected areas.

Co-founders of ReLove, Renuka Fernando and Ben Stammer, were the guest speakers.

ReLove has become a leading support service for people in crisis who need to set up a home from scratch, providing good-quality rescued furniture and household items at no cost to 25 families each week.